Alphabet Soup

Today's FNP is brought to you by the letters W, T, and F, becasue who needs THIS sh*t in FEBRUARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, it is nearly 83 degrees on my deck.  In February.  And, it is only 1:30 pm, despite what the time on that thing says (I can never figure out how to change it).  Too much, waaaaayyyy too soon for this northern girl's blood!

THIS is what my yard looked like on MONDAY.  It is FRIDAY.

Great job boys!

Un. Real.  Anyhow, I guess complaining isn't going to help me figure out what the hell mother nature's problem is this week, so let's have a beer.  On the deck!

Lagunitas
Imperial Red Ale
7.8% ABV
54.2 IBUs (someone is good at math!)

Seriously, right?  What kind of an idiot complains about a gorgeous Friday?  Especially when it provides the opportunity to enjoy a great new beer in the sunshine.  I have to say that today's FNP was a last minute, unplanned choice that turned out pretty well!  The aroma of this beer is one that Yankee Candle should be looking into.  It has a great, sweet, pineapple/fruity aroma that even hangs around in the bottle long after the pour.  It's a little deceiving though because this beer is all malt up front with a sneaky bitterness that catches up with you.  The fruity sweetness is only evident in the aroma.  The amber/orange color did look pretty great with the sun shining through it, but I'm still not happy about 80 degree weather in WINTER.  The off-white head left great lace throughout the entire beer, and even looked a little bit like North America at one point, but I couldn't get it to show up quite right in a picture (did I mention that sun thing?).

This one was a good choice, and I would encourage giving it a try, and quickly, because it is apparently a limited release of a beer they brewed way back in 1993.  It's all cyclical you know. 

Thankfully, it looks like the weather is headed for more "seasonable" temps for the rest of the weekend, so my misery, and the beer, shall be short lived!

Cheers!

Becky

The Power of Suggestion

Recently I got an email from my B.I.L (brother in law) that included a picture of 3 beers (seen below), and a question about whether or not my M.I.L (let's see if you can figure that one out...) should buy any of them.  Strange because a) B.I.L doesn't really drink (and in his words "all beer tastes like Bud"), and b) M.I.L doesn't venture past Corona, or Killians’ Irish Red on a really crazy day.  I really didn't have much of an answer because I hadn't tried any of them, but I knew they were often cited as style examples in the BJCP (see previous posts for what this is, and why I would know this...).  So I figured,what the heck?  I'll give one of them a shot. 



Picture courtesy of my B.I.L

I chose the "dunkelweizen" (middle above) which means “dark, wheat beer”.  Usually not a choice of mine, but if the point of the blog is to introduce us all to new beer, then why not?



Weihenstephaner

Hefeweissbier Dark (Dunkelweizen)

5.3% ABV

 To make it official, I even went and got a weizen glass out of the closet and washed it just for the occasion (I can't fit ALL my glassware in one cupboard, and the weizen glass doesn't get much action around here).  The head on this beer was gorgeous, and took up most of the glass at first pour.  I let it settle, finished pouring, and what you see above is what the finished product looked like.  The white, rocky head on top of the mahogany beer made for a pretty good picture, and justified the extra effort. 

A spicy aroma hits the nose first, but I didn't get much of the expected banana scent often detected in these beers.  It was the spice and the wheat that dominated with no real hop aroma or flavor.  There was a slight bitterness in the finish (almost undetectable to my hop loving taste buds), along with a bit of an interesting tartness.  Definitely a malt driven beer that was sweeter than I expected, and I was happy about the lack of banana essence because it isn't my favorite flavor in beer.  Overall, not a style I'll seek out too frequently, but not a regrettable purchase (especially for $3.49 for the bottle...left more beer budget available than some other options!).  Give it a try if you are interested in learning more about German styles of beer.  It would even be interesting (to me anyhow) to do a side by side comparison of the dark and light versions.  Beer for thought I suppose.

So, at least I now have some first hand tasting experience to offer my beer limited family.  All in the name of beer education!

On a side note, if this one picture sent to me randomly "made" me go buy this beer, imagine what we could do if for one month we could take the advertising budgets of Bud/Miller/Coors and give them to the very best craft beer brewers in the country?  I'm not saying everyone would rush out and buy some Bell's Two Hearted, but hey, it would be worth a try to get the diehard fans of the "big three" to broaden their beer horizons!  Do they even know there are other, better tasting "pilsner" options out there?  I bet not. 

Wishing you all a great weekend, filled with friends, family and good times!

Cheers!

Becky

No Love Potions Here

So I hope you all weren't expecting me to serve up a glowing review of some great beer to have on the made up holiday called Valentine's Day*.  If you did, you don't know me that well.  Plus, I'm still really bitter about a certain football game and not ready to play nice.

Instead I bring you the Big Swell IPA offered up by Maui Brewing Co. based in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.  It is, as you can see from the picture, a canned beer. 

See, I told you it was from a can. 
6.8% ABV

Now I know the arguments for putting beer in cans, and they all make complete sense.  In fact, Maui Brewing was kind enough to point out the following on the can itself (and I quote...):
*Cans eliminate light damage and reduce the risk of oxidation, keeping this craft brew fresher than in bottles!  Yup, no argument there.
*Cans are lighter, chill quicker, and can be enjoyed on beaches and in sensitive environments.  Sensitive environments?  Like where?  The ICU?
*Aluminum is the most recycled and most eco-friendly material.  IF you recycle it that is...

It's also less costly to ship because it is so much lighter than glass. That's probably pretty important to a brewery located on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  They must not have had room to fit that on the can though. 

Despite all these great points, I still prefer my beer in a glass bottle.  This really makes no sense since I hardly ever drink it out of its original container.  If I did, how would I justify the bazillions of pint glasses and other assorted beer glassware that I own?   

Anyhow, on to the beer INSIDE the eco/beer/sick relative in ICU friendly can.  I was pretty excited for the first sip of this after I poured it and took a quick sniff.  It had a nice citrusy, sweet aroma right away, which I love in an IPA.  So I quickly took the lame picture you see above so I could try it, but was disappointed to find that the citrusy aroma didn't follow through in the taste.  Malt and bitterness unexpectedly dominated the flavor, and the bitterness lingered on my tongue for a bit longer than I would have liked.  Not that bitterness in a IPA is unusual or unacceptable, there was just more than I typically care for.  It had a fairly high level of carbonation (a little sweetness creeps up on you as the carbonation fades), and I would call it a light to medium bodied brew.

Not my favorite example of an IPA, but if you are a fan of a more bitter IPA, then grab a 6-pack of Big Swell, go visit Aunt Betty in the ICU, and give the empty cans to the first "recycling engineer" (read: homeless person) you pass on your way out.

The good thing about this is that my pinter in crime tends to like these types of IPAs more than I, so I will make him drink, er, offer these to him with a glowing review (he doesn't read my blog, so he won't know any better) while secretly drinking the 6-pack of Bell's Two Hearted that I also bought.  It's what he gets for not supporting my blog efforts. 

Maui Brewing's cans also make a nice parting gift for a co-worker who has been the victim of down sizing in our continuously sluggish economy.

In the interest of your health and well-being, it might be best to give this anonymously.  They would eventually see the humor in it, but probably not until the last one was gone. 

Have a great weekend!
Cheers!
Becky

*For the record if my pinter in crime came home with a growler full of good  beer on Valentine's Day, I would drink it.  But only with indifference and under protest.

It's a two 'fer!



Avery Salvation                                               Allagash Tripel

    9% ABV                                                             9% ABV

Belgian Strong Ale                                            Belgian Tripel

  Avery Brewing                                              Allagash Brewing

    Boulder, CO                                                     Portland, ME

Being the beer geek that I am (save the smartass comments if you would please), I am always trying to find new ways of coercing myself into trying new beers.  This blog is one of those ways, and it has inspired a little more diversity and creativity in my beer choices, and in the way I approach learning about beer.  Hence, the two 'fer.

For those of you who have followed my blog for awhile, you know that in general I am not a fan of Belgians (the beer anyhow, I don't have anything against Belgian people...I hear they make some damn good chocolate!), yet here I am featuring not one, but TWO!  Well, here's the deal.  I subscribe to no fewer than  five beer related periodicals, would rather read a book about beer than some useless, sappy novel that deals with emotions I try my best to ignore, and would prefer that my husband bring me home a growler of good beer instead of a dozen roses.  And if I'm really in the beer groove on any given day, I'll poke through the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) style guidelines (for all you true beer nerds out there...here's the link www.bjcp.org/styles... I have the hard copy 'cause I'm old school).  It was flipping through the guidelines that inspired this week's post.  The style guidelines for the Belgian Tripel and the Belgian Strong Ale are nearly identical, except for a few noted differences.  So, I wanted to see for myself how they compared.  And since I know that your interest has been peaked because of this fascinating story, here you go (and because I don't want you trashing my blog and/or sending me hate mail, I will not bore you with the details that are included in the BJCP guidelines...if you've made it through this much of the post, I'll assume you can read them for yourself).

Now I can't say that I was looking forward to drinking either of these, but will say that I did not despise either.  Avery's Salvation (Belgian Strong Ale) was much sweeter in aroma and flavor than I expected, and did not have the "typical" Belgian traits, which made it much more palatable, for me at least.  Although it is only a 9% ABV beer, the alcohol is present on the tongue immediately, but isn't a turn off.  It was a good looking beer, hazier than I expected, and had an interesting rocky head of foam.  I would call it a medium bodied beer, with fairly high carbonation that disappeared quickly.  I enjoyed Salvation, but thought that the sweetness was  a bit overpowering-had it maintained the initial level of carbonation, I think it would have seemed more balanced.  I would drink it again, but in small doses.  Beer is best shared anyhow.

The Allagash Tripel was much more along the lines of what I was anticipating drinking.  There was the definitive, banana/spicy/peppery aroma, but those flavors were much more subdued than I expected.  It was a bit darker in color than the golden, with a creamy, white head that stuck around.  There wasn't much hop aroma to speak of, but there was some noticeable bitterness in the finish.  It seemed more crisp and dry than the golden, which is the exact opposite of the style guidelines, but I guess that's why they are called "guidelines". 

Anyone out there wondering why I didn't choose a Belgian beer made by Belgians, monks (or Belgian monks)?  Well, I figured 1) I like to support domestic companies, 2) I felt it would be unfair to compare a domestic beer and an import, and 3) I like Avery beers and Allagash is from New England!  I would at some point like to compare the same two styles again and choose two imports, but that's a story for another day.


On a side note...

...the fridge is stocked for Super Bowl Weekend!!!!!!!!!

GOOOOO Patriots!!!!!!!

Cheers!

Becky

The Chocolate Trend Continues...

The Vixen (Chocolate Chili Bock)
8.5% ABV
Sam Adams (Boston Beer Co.)
Boston, MA

This one's for you Matt...(http://www.staythirstyblog.com/)

This week's FNP is in honor of my blogger friend Matt, who in a comment awhile ago (thanks for reading Matt!) mentioned he couldn't find this beer (he is also the person who inspired this blog, so you have him to thank, or hate, for my presence in your lives each week...).  So despite the fact that I did a chocolate beer last week, I decided I would take advantage of the availability of this beer while I can.  I'll admit the choice scared me a little bit, because although I am a HUGE fan of chili, I wasn't sure how I would feel about those flavors in my beer.  I would call this beer a "pleasant surprise", as I fully anticipated not liking it (what kind of a freak buys a beer they think they're not going to like?).

Right away the sulfur smell of a lager hits the nose (I find this in most of the Sam Adams lager beers), but quickly gives way to the pleasant, chocolate aromas.  The cinnamon flavor is there, but not overwhelming.  Little to no hop aroma, but you get the bitterness of the noble hops in the finish, which I think is perfect for this beer.  I didn't get much chili flavor or spiciness, but the beer leaves your gums tingling a bit (not NUMB Dottie), which I am guessing is the combination of chilies and carbonation (there was a bit more carbonation than I expected, but I think it works).

I think The Vixen is a great beer to pair with chili or dry rubbed ribs, or as a night cap (NOT a breakfast drink in my opinion, but if you are so inclined to try, I won't discourage you).  Probably one of the more interesting beers I have tried in awhile, and I would certainly encourage the purchase, especially for the price ($5.99 for the 22 oz. bottle).

Some quick thoughts on last weeks' purchases...Wolavers Organic IPA-good, not great.  Definitely worth the $6.99 I paid for the six-pack (on sale at WF).  Support New England Brewers!  The Hop Manna was ok, but I think could have been a little more balanced (too much citrusy hop flavor going on).  Founders Centennial IPA is a regular in this house, and is probably one of the more balanced IPAs out there, in my humble opinion.  Firestone Walker's Union Jack (LOVE this beer) was the weekend's "kick off" beer (if you don't understand what this means, I'm not explaining it to you...).  Haven't broken into the Mephistopheles' Stout yet...one will be opened shortly, the other will be in the beer fridge until at least next winter (along with a few others)...my husband just shakes his head when I do these things.

A quick shout out to my brewer friend Dave, who has been so supportive, patient, and understanding of my inexplicable desire to learn all there is to know about beer, the brewing process, and the industry, and who I think shares my passion for what it takes to be a part of it all.  THANKS DAVE!

To all (3? 4?) of you who read my blog, thank you!  If even one of you takes something of value (even if it's amusement!) away from this, it will have been more than worth my time!

Cheers!
Becky 

Friday Noon Pints

I know what you are thinking, but no, hell hasn't frozen over.  Although I could swear I saw flying pigs somewhere last week...

Anyhow, here we are again at FRIDAY!  And here I am posting the Friday Night Pint, on time, and maybe a little early! 

So, there I am in the Whole Foods beer aisle, at 8:30 am, as usual, staring at the selection and silently daring myself to get something a little different.  To make a long story short (I tend to ramble in case you haven't noticed...), I spent a few minutes chatting with the "beer guy" who approached me, and I ended up trying 3 different beers from their draft selections (Avery Mephistopheles' Stout, Scotch De Silly, and Hebrew Hop Manna IPA), and leaving with the following: 32 oz. growler of Hebrew Hop Manna IPA, 2 bottles of Avery Mephistopheles' Stout, a six pack of Wolavers Organic IPA and Centennial IPA, a four pack of Terrapin's Moo-Hoo Milk Chocolate Stout, and a bomber of Firestone Walker Union Jack.  In my defense (because I can just see the incredulous looks on your faces), it IS a pretty big football weekend (imagine what my beer purchases will be like if, I mean WHEN, the Pats make it to the Superbowl?!).  AND, my addiction is to "buying and trying".  I'm not drunk 24/7 as most of you probably assume.  This probably won't fly when the divorce papers arrive, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it... 

Anyhow, I decided to feature Terrapin's Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout for several reasons.  The name is just funny, the label amuses me, AND, most importantly, I felt better about drinking it before, uhh, five o'clock, because it's described on the label as a "chocolate milk stout", and therefore clearly is meant to be a breakfast drink.  Umm, right?



Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout
6% ABV
Terrapin Beer Co.
Athens, GA

This beer pours dark brown with a two finger head (if you pour the damn thing right).  The head stays and leaves a pretty good lace throughout.  It's fairly light in body, bordering on thin which would be a turn off for me if it weren't for the great flavor.  Light chocolate flavor and bready malts actually make me think this might be good for breakfast...once in awhile (hey, you probably don't think mimosas or bloody mary's for breakfast are weird, DO you?).  Very little, if any hop aroma, but a good balance of subtle, spice hop in the flavor.  There was a weird metallic taste at the beginning, but I didn't notice it after the first sip or two, so I attribute it to one of two things: flavor came from the cap, or it's because this is (according to the label) the 2010 version of this "seasonal" beer.  Noticed this about halfway through...

I should really pay more attention...


So, either I got suckered into buying old "seasonal" beer, OR, I totally got a bargain on an "aged" beer!  I'm going with the latter (even though at 6% ABV this isn't a great beer for aging...)!  Who likes to think they got suckered?

A good beer if you're in the mood for something to have with dessert (or breakfast if you can handle the flak you'll take for it...).  I can't help but wonder what a "fresh" bottle would taste like?

Now, don't fall off your chairs because you are reading this long before "happy hour" starts (and don't call the police, DYS, or my husband).  In order to bring you timely, more thoughtful reviews of a new beer each week, I have decided that I'll get to it a bit earlier (how early will be on a need to know basis..), because quite honestly, by Friday evening, I just want to DRINK a beer, and not analyze it. This also might give those of you who actually read this an opportunity to pick up a bottle of the featured beer, if it sounds like something you might enjoy.

So, I hope you will take advantage of my attempt to broaden you beer horizons and try Moo-Hoo, or any of the other featured craft beer offerings!

Until next week...
Cheers!
Becky

P.S. GOOOO Pats!

Deadlines are for people who get paid to do this...

...hence, I am still poor and feel somewhat justified (but a little guilty) for never having this up on an actual Friday...

We all (and by this I mean serious beer drinkers-even those committed to the "big 3") have our "go to" breweries.  The ones to which our hard earned money is most frequently distributed.  For me, one of these breweries is Avery Brewing.  I have yet to be disappointed in a beer that I have selected from them, so, this week's Friday Night Pint was another offering from Avery....Hog Heaven,which is described on the bottle as a "dry hopped barleywine style ale".  Now the way I see it, you're either a barleywine, or you're not.  Can I describe myself as a "sturdy brunette style slender blonde"?  Probably.  But it wouldn't take you long to figure out the description was a crock of sh*t.

But I digress.  Hog Heaven is copper colored, medium+ bodied beer, with low hop aroma, but a surprising hop flavor (you don't expect it based on the subdued hop aroma).  A very thin white head disappears quickly, but leaves a great lace on the glass.  The beer has a distinct sweetness, but finished very dry.  Despite the fairly high 9.2% ABV this is a very drinkable, and overall, a good beer.  However, the characteristics seemed very similar to many Imperial IPAs I have tried (admittedly, I have tried very few barleywines, but I have tried LOTS of Imperial IPAs).  Not a bad thing, but maybe that explains the odd description on the bottle.  Maybe they just couldn't decide what kind of beer this actually was, so they called it "a barleywine style ale", instead of just a barleywine.*  Please do not view the picture below if you have a strange fear of flying pigs.

Stolen from their website because I couldn't get my picture to download properly...tech nerd I am not.

So, there you have it.  Friday Night Pints, on a Wednesday.  So what else is new.  Stay tuned for my new strategy for getting this done on time this Friday...

Anyone have any suggestions for a beer for me to try?  Sometimes I hate making that decision.  I usually feel pressured to leave the beer aisle after the second or third employee asks if I need help.  Nope, just an indecisive beer stalker.  So, if there are any suggestions out there, let me have 'em!!  I'll even mention you in the blog, because that would make you cool. 

Until next time..

Cheers!
Becky

*When I was illegally copying and re-using their Hog Heaven label art, I noticed that most (if not all-didn't look because I was in a real hurry to get my blog up a week late...) of their beers are labeled as a "______ style ale".  I guess they don't like being forced to conform to a style, so that gives them leeway?  So confused...